asted, cut
her cables and dropped out of the line; the contest being then
continued with the sixth in the French order, the _Franklin_, next ahead
of the flag-ship, _Orient_. The _Orion_ was thus near by the latter when
she blew up, but the few burning fragments which fell on board were
quickly extinguished.

Twenty-four hours after the battle, Saumarez, who had been delayed till
then by a severe wound from a splinter, went on board the flag-ship to
call on the admiral; and to this visit we owe the knowledge of two
closely related incidents, recorded by his biographer and friend, which
are significant at once of his individual ideas on tactical combination,
and of the lack of personal sympathy apparent between him and Nelson. He
"found several of his brother officers on the quarter-deck, discussing
the merits of the action. Some regret having been expressed at the
escape of the two sternmost ships of the French line, Sir James said to
the admiral, 'It was unfortunate we did not--' and was proceeding to say
'all anchor on the same side.' But, before he could finish the sentence,
Nelson hastily interrupted him, exclaiming, 'Thank God there was no
order!' Then turning the conversation, he entered his cabin and sent for
Captain Ball.... We may relate the circumstances which induced Saumarez,
without the least intention to offend, to make the observation at which
offence was taken. It was Nelson's custom, when in communication or
company with the captains under his command, to converse with them on
the various modes of attacking the enemy under different circumstances;
and, on one of these occasions, Sir James Saumarez, who had seen the
evil consequences of _doubling_ on the enemy, especially in a night
action, had differed with the admiral in that plan of attack, saying
that 'it never required two English ships to capture one French, and
that the damage which they must necessarily do each other might render
them both unable to fight an enemy's ship that had not been engaged;
and, as in this case two ships could be spared to the three-decker,
everyone might have his opponent.'"

Inasmuch as Nelson, in pursuance of his previously announced idea, had
himself in the flag-ship--the sixth to enter action--set the example of
_doubling_, by anchoring on the side of the enemy's line opposite to
that of his first five ships, and in doing so had deliberately taken
position on one side of a French vessel already engaged on the other,